Three Layers of the Human Heart Wall
Three Layers of the Human Heart Wall: The human heart is an extraordinary organ that is the size of a closed fist, weighs about 10.5 ounces, and is shaped like a cone. Along with the circulatory system, the heart performs the function of sending blood and oxygen to all parts of the body.
The heart is located just behind the chest bone, between the lungs, and superior to the diaphragm. It is surrounded by a fluid-filled sac called the pericardium, which protects this vital organ.
Blood vessels carry blood throughout the body and then bring it back from there. Normally, the amount of blood in the human body is 5-6 liters. According to another theory, the 20th part of the human body is blood. Blood keeps running throughout the body. Mainly the heart, arteries, and veins play an important role in the circulatory system. Our heart acts like a pumping machine that continuously purifies the impure blood to the lungs and then sends the pure blood to the whole body.
Three Layers of the Human Heart Wall
- Pericardium
- Myocardium
- Endocardium
- Pericardium: The pericardium is the fluid-filled sac that surrounds the heart and the proximal ends of the aorta, the vena cava, and the pulmonary artery. The pericardium is located behind the breastbone in a position in the middle of the chest cavity called the mediastinum.
The pericardium serves as the outer protective covering of the heart, which is an important part of the circulatory system and cardiovascular systems. The primary function of the heart is to help circulate blood to the body’s tissues and organs.
The pericardium provides many valuable functions, but it is not essential for life. The heart can maintain normal function without it.
The pericardium is divided into three membrane layers:
The fibrous pericardium is the outer fibrous sac that covers the heart. It provides an outer protective layer that is attached to the sternum by the sternopericardial ligaments. The fibrous pericardium helps to keep the heart within the chest cavity. It also protects the heart from an infection that could potentially spread to nearby organs, such as the lungs.
The parietal pericardium is a layer between the visceral pericardium and the fibrous pericardium and is continuous with the fibrous pericardium and also provides a layer of insulation for the heart.
The visceral pericardium is both the inner layer of the pericardium and the outer layer of the heart wall. Also known as the epicardium, this layer protects the inner heart layers and also aids in the production of pericardial fluid. The connective tissue in the epicardium consists of elastic fibers and adipose tissue, which help support and protect the inner heart layers. Oxygen-rich blood is supplied by coronary arteries to the epicardium and the inner layers of the heart.
2. Myocardium: The myocardium is the muscular middle layer of the wall of the human heart. It is formed by the contraction of spontaneous cardiac muscle fibers that allow the heart to contract. Heart contraction is an autonomic (involuntary) function of the peripheral nervous system. The myocardium is surrounded by the epicardium (outer layer of the heart wall) and endocardium (inner layer of the heart).
The myocardium stimulates the contraction of the heart to pump blood out of the ventricles and relaxes the heart to allow the atria to receive blood. These contractions are known as heartbeats. The heartbeat triggers the heart chakra which pumps blood to the cells and tissues of the body.
3. Endocardium: The endocardium, the innermost layer of the heart wall, is made up of flattened articular cells. The four chambers and valves of the heart are covered by this layer.
